Organizations tend to juggle a number of improvement initiatives at the same time, ranging from process mapping to benchmarking to administering customer satisfaction surveys. But they often lack the alignment to cohesively structure these initiatives in a way that addresses an overall strategy.

The balanced scorecard, a framework that links business strategies with day-to-day activities, is one solution that has worked wonders for many.

"If profits go down, you don't know what's driving profits," said Cynthia Raybourn, an APQC custom engagement specialist. "Measurement is a whole lot more than a yard stick. It doesn't just measure where we are but helps us get to where we want to be. The balanced scorecard is a means of focusing people's attention on desired behaviors and desired results."